The Second Coming
by sanbika
Summary: Through some miracle of bad luck, Vamdemon has returned and found a way to take revenge on his enemies. His main focus? Motomiya Daisuke. How will the Chosen Children handle attacks on their leader when they're busy with high school and college? Why is Daisuke seeing the Digimon Kaiser? Who will lead the team now? Takesuke, Kaisuke, Kenyako, one-sided Kensuke
1. Chapter 1

Note: This story has been brewing in my head for a long time, and it was originally inspired by one of the best Digimon stories I have ever read. I've tried high and low to find it (If you remember it and can find it or know the author, I will write you a story of at least 1,000 words and any pairing!) but I'm fairly sure it's been deleted from the site. The Waste Land was a five-chapter Kensuke/Kaisuke fic based around T.S. Eliot's poem of the same name and the Kaiser returning to destroy Daisuke.

Thinking of poetry, the Digimon Kaiser, and Daisuke (admittedly my favorite character), this idea was born. Please note that this is not a Kensuke story, but will be a Takesuke, Kaisuke, Kenyako, and one-sided Kensuke story with a few other pairings. The poem featured is The Second Coming by William Butler Yeats. Please note that Takeru and Miyako are 18, Daisuke, Ken, and Hikari are 17, Iori is 15, Koushiro and Mimi are 19, and Yamato, Sora, Jou, and Taichi are 20. Jun is around 23 in this story and since Shuu Kido isn't really given an age, let's say he's also 23.

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The Second Coming

 _Turning and turning in the widening gyre_

 _The falcon cannot hear the falconer;_

 _Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;_

"Brothers, welcome. Do you recognize this place? Welcome to the world of wishes and dreams. But changed, changed to match the wills of those who can rule with true power." The digimon's fanged teeth glinted as he spoke to unknown others, assembled in a vast, dark realm, hidden in shadow and cloud. He turned to look at his companions, who seemed not to be listening. They stood in silence and suspicion, flexing fingers and limbs, uncertain. Fools. They would soon see that not only were they alive and powerful, but that of all of them, he, Belialvamdemon was the god that they should bow before.

After all, only he had unlocked the secrets of death, creation, and regeneration. Only he had searched tirelessly, little more than vapor, for this mysterious world connecting the Digital World and Earth through dreams, wishes, and power. More power than anyone could imagine. Power that needed to be directed and wielded only by those righteous and worthy. Power that should never have been touched by disgusting, weak beings like humans. It was a karmic injustice that their spirits had the ability to create wishes and dreams in the first place. And it was an injustice he intended to correct.

 _Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,_

 _The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere_

 _The ceremony of innocence is drowned;_

 _The best lack all conviction, while the worst_

 _Are full of passionate intensity._

"How many times have we been defeated by mere trifles, by meaningless vanities, brothers? Are we not ashamed to let powerless beings take control of the Digital World?" The dark digimon raised his voice into a fearsome cry, and finally one of the shadowy figures stepped forward, narrowing its eyes into slits. "Knowledge, Purity, Honesty, Love, Kindness, Miracles, Light, Hope," Here Piemon stepped out of the shadows, hissing. Belialvamdemon smiled and nodded before continuing, "Friendship. Courage. Why do we allow such insignificant creatures to determine the destiny of the lords of the digital world?!"

 _Surely some revelation is at hand;_

 _Surely the Second Coming is at hand._

 _The Second Coming! Hardly are those words out_

 _When a vast image out of Spiritus Mundi_

 _Troubles my sight: a waste of desert sand;_

Others stepped forward: MetalSeadramon, Dagomon, Apocalymon all formed a circle around Belialvamdemon. "I have freed you from nothingness, from lost dimensions and time, from the circles of holy protection, from the Dark Ocean, from death. Wouldn't you agree that this deserves some thanks?" Piemon sneered at him, "What is it that you want? Skip these melodramatics and get to the point."

Once he achieved his goal, Belialvamdemon swore to himself that he would teach this minstrel to respect those with power over him. And the best teaching, he believed, was through the proper application of pain. He smiled graciously, though it could be seen as a grimace. "Now, now, Piemon, let's not be hasty. You must learn my methods before we advance to the point. First, you must exercise your power and show me that you have been fully restored."

LadyDevimon stepped forward slowly, "You want us to fight you?" He turned to her, "Of course not, what a waste of time and power that would be. I would have you cast your power on that creature as I transform him." He hesitated, not wanting the other dark digimon to know that he had been unable to cast this spell on his power alone. And most likely it was because he was wasted so much of his own energy dredging this digimon from across time, space, and worlds.

He pointed at a colorless shadow, writhing in bondage. "Do you recognize it?" LadyDevimon paused before responding, "A Bakemon, without its cloth." "That is only its original form, brothers. We are going to change it into a puppet which will shake the core of the Chosen Children, and destroy them once and for all. Now," he turned his attention to the digimon at the sides that had not yet come to him, "Have you fools decided to join my cause of freeing us from human control yet?" Devimon stepped forward and joined the group.

Belialvamdemon smiled and pointed at the Virus and Variable types who hadn't been quick enough to decide. Puppetmon stood among the others in the shadows, a grim look on his face. "Very well, your indecision has made the choice for you. You should all be grateful to die at the hands of a digital god." He clenched his fist and a wave of energy and red light smashed into them, creating a cacophony of screams and a violent blast of hot wind. He pulled the remnants of their data into a glowing orb and cast it onto the quivering Bakemon.

He turned and saw a look exchanged between LadyDevimon and Piemon. "No, they will never be able to regenerate. But you have chosen the better part and joined with me. You have nothing to fear. Now, cast your power onto that Bakemon and I will show you how to create." The digimon raised their hands and a dark light streamed forward, creating a purple glow that surrounded the creature.

 _A shape with lion body and the head of a man,_

 _A gaze blank and pitiless as the sun,_

 _Is moving its slow thighs, while all about it_

 _Wind shadows of the indignant desert birds._

A wind whipped up around the small group and Belialvamdemon focused his energy on an orb of light in his hands. Slowly, an object appeared, a pair of golden shades, quickly followed by a partially destroyed pink crest. The last object that appeared was a long, black whip. He threw these down onto the Bakemon and with a final blast of energy, the orb disappeared onto the shape. The Bakemon was changing, the color turning into a pale peach from a nebulous gray. It grew limbs and shook as it changed and reformed into the image of the Digimon Kaiser, but older and somehow lacking a human look in its eyes.

 _The darkness drops again but now I know_

 _That twenty centuries of stony sleep_

 _Were vexed to nightmare by a rocking cradle,_

 _And what rough beast, its hour come round at last,_

 _Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?_

Shaking, Vamdemon stepped back from his creation; he was unable to sustain his digivolution and use that much power at the same time. The other digimon moved to lower their hands and he hissed, short of breath, "Don't stop now, there is one more step." He moved closer to the newly formed digital-human hybrid while keeping the stream of dark light focused towards it. With his other hand, he tore a hole in the dark shadows surrounding them, forming a silver circle. It rippled like water for a minute before reflecting an image of a human boy with golden skin, dark red hair, and amber eyes gazing out the window of a school classroom.

The dark digimon trembled with a fury so keen and a hatred so fierce that he lost his focus for a moment. "Motomiya Daisuke…. Through some accident you found a way to overthrow me when I had already won. This time, you will be the first to lose. You will taste despair and degradation and madness before I am finished with you. As for the rest of the Chosen Children, once you cut off the head, the body cannot stand." He created a dark glowing orb in his hand that crackled with lightning and spun madly.

Vamdemon shouted and focused his hands on both the boy and the digimon-boy, "Give me your power now! Mind Illusion!" An explosion of light rocked the group and in the mirror, the boy named Daisuke collapsed onto the floor. The thing that resembled the Digimon Kaiser was now enrobed in the familiar dark purple and gold clothing. It blinked blank violet eyes and turned to Vamdemon, crouching shakily on one knee.

Feeling thrills of revenge and deep joy, Vamdemon smiled terribly and spoke to his creation. "Go to your base and use the powers I have given you to destroy Motomiya Daisuke. Search your data for memories to gain an advantage. If any digimon or Chosen Child gets in your way, kill them."


	2. Chapter 2

Note: Here's the second chapter. I would love any constructive criticism as I don't have a beta reader and am a little nervous without feedback. Please let me know if you think my characterizations are off-base or if the plot meanders too much. There may be too much plot for one story. I also have a recommended track listening for each chapter. Music is important to me as I am a musician, and I am find the different twists and turns of my story come to me while listening to music. I didn't include one for the first chapter because, come on, it's a poem by William Butler Yeats, it's practically music and reading it aloud puts a beat in your words and a cadence in your mouth. I do recommend looking at the lyrics for a song if you're unfamiliar with it or if it's in a different language. I choose the songs for both the melody and the lyrics pertaining to the main character in each chapter.

Recommended tracks: Yoko Kanno/Seatbelts – Fe; Cornelius – Sensuous

* * *

Daisuke woke slowly, keeping his eyes closed because of a dull ache behind them. He didn't dare move, sure that any motion would cause his headache to flare up. Instead, he listened to the sound of tinkling chimes someone had put in the window. That was odd… or was it? For some reason, his memory jogged as though he had heard these sounds before. They felt familiar and welcome. As difficult as it was to open his eyes and move his head, it was even harder to think. Memory slipped away from him. "No use worrying about it," Daisuke mumbled thickly. Perhaps the teen would be more worried if he didn't feel an overwhelming sense of familiarity, of safety. Wherever he was, it was warm, the light streaming in was bright, and he was covered in thick, soft comforters. He raised an arm with some effort to rub his head, raking through the reddish hair only to realize his googles were missing. Sighing, Daisuke dropped his arm onto the mass of blankets onto a form next to him. Well, why would he expect to find his goggles? He kept them at home most of the time, afraid to break them as they had gotten older and more worn.

Wait, this was mysterious. A form next to him? How could there be a body in his bed? Daisuke's mother would murder him before letting him invite anyone to sleep over in his bed at his age. Jun, out of a righteous desire for propriety and not at all motivated by fairness or the strict rules imposed on her in high school, had made sure of that. It was too big to be Chibimon or V-mon. Perhaps Fladramon but why would he have digivolved unless they were in the Digital World? Perhaps he had been seriously hurt and Fladramon was protecting him? Something must have finally gotten through his thick skull.

Smiling a little, Daisuke listened for more clues, but it was too hard to focus. He thought he could hear the whirring and beeping of electronic equipment but he wasn't sure. Despite his aching head and general discomfort, he felt some kind of interior happiness. It made it hard to care about much of anything. His intuition, which he relied on more than reason, told him he was right where he should be. That thought made him frown. Why was he so sure everything was ok? When had it ever been ok to wake up in an unknown room in the Digital World? A voice interrupted his thoughts, "Daisuke, Daisuke, don't look so concerned. Open your eyes if you're wondering where we are. I know you've been awake for some time."

Daisuke knew that he should have been disturbed by this unknown person speaking so close by when he felt so strange, but he still couldn't bring himself to worry about it. To satisfy curiosity, he cracked open an eye. The room he was in was quite dark with only a few shafts of light entering from sunlights overhead. To his right, two piercing violet eyes in a thin, pale face gazed at him. His head throbbed and Daisuke groaned, pulling his head down into his arms. "Ken? Where, what are we doing here?"

"Oh Daisuke, we're at my base right where we're supposed to be…" Daisuke snapped his eyes open; this was all too familiar. He sat up, looking down to see he had no shirt on. Next to him, though it was hard to see with aching eyes in the dim light, Ken sat up, also without a shirt. The teen's head spun and his stomach twisted while he racked his brain for what had happened. Ken's hair was looking odd; it was styled almost like…

Daisuke gasped and backed away from his best friend, hitting the wall. "K-Ken, what are you doing? You look like the Digimon Kaiser! And why are we at your bas-" he cut off abruptly taking shallow breaths as nausea threated to overwhelm him. Ken laughed, a strange but familiar chuckle. He hadn't laughed like that in a long time. He hadn't looked like that in a long time. But there he was, no child Kaiser, but a seventeen-year-old Ichijouji Ken, in his old base, dressed like his old self, from the waist down, anyway. "Don't be ridiculous Daisuke. I'm not Ken; I'm nothing like that pathetic fool. And we're here because this is our home." The red-headed youth forced himself to look up and meet Ken's gaze, "This is not my home! We live on earth, you live in Tamachi, and you're dating Miyako! Ken, have you gone insane?"

Ken, or the Digimon Kaiser, drew closer, no longer smiling, spoke with an icy tone, "No, but you _are_ beginning to anger me. I wouldn't want to have to teach you a lesson. I thought we were past all of that, pet." He grabbed the redhead with some force and drew him onto his own lap, resting his mouth on Daisuke's throat. For one moment, Daisuke stopped resisting. This was what felt right. After all, despite Ken's gentle rejection at the beginning of high school, he had still carried a flame for the blue-haired Chosen Child for a few years longer. Maybe whatever had happened had messed with his memory? Shouldn't he stop fighting this and bask in Ken's precious affection? Wasn't this what he wanted ages ago? He felt his eyelids drift shut as his friend wrapped him in a stronger embrace.

Ken graced Daisuke's throat with gentle kisses and nudges, as if sensing Daisuke's uncertainty. He smirked, chuckling again, and said, "Besides, if this wasn't your home, why would you be wearing my jewelry, Motomiya?" The redhead felt his heart in his throat, reaching up to feel what he knew was around his neck: an evil ring.

* * *

Daisuke wrenched open his eyes and leapt up, despite the fact that his head still throbbed and his stomach was cramping dangerously. Harsh fluorescent lights greeted him and he fell to his knees on a rigid bed. "Daisuke-kun! Calm down, it's just a dream! Are you all right?" He turned his head towards the voice to see Hikari sitting and clutching his school bag in her arms. This place… it was… the infirmary at school? He glanced down at himself and felt relief at seeing his uniform. Takeru stood at the foot of the bed, his clear blue eyes confused and worried. "You collapsed during study hall. What's wrong? Are you sick?"

Remembering what he had just seen and done, Daisuke grabbed at his neck quickly, feeling slightly better when he felt nothing but his own skin. Had he been dreaming? Had that…. whatever it was with Ken… had that happened before? It had felt so real… Feeling his heart race and stomach lurch, he pointed at the trashcan, which Hikari held out just in time. Takeru came over with a cup of cold water and spoke up, "You should go home. You look really pale. And you never get sick!" Hikari nodded, concern for her friend practically oozing out of her every pore. "You should, Daisuke. I was so worried. You just fell out of your chair like you'd had a seizure or something. You wouldn't wake up and your forehead felt so hot. Nurse Endo thinks you have the flu." Takeru helped Daisuke sit back before taking the trashcan away. He frowned a moment before continuing, "Were you dreaming? You were taking in your sleep. Just fragments really. But you seemed upset."

Daisuke took the cup of water shakily and sipped at it. He breathed for a long minute, hoping that the throbbing pain would disappear. Takeru and Hikari exchanged a look. Daisuke usually wore his emotions on his sleeve. Anyone who looked into his warm, brown eyes could read him in a second. Now he looked worried and scared about something. Finally he spoke, voice a bit gravelly, "It wasn't a dream. Please, just, find Ken."


	3. Chapter 3

Note: Thanks for your kind reviews; I appreciate it especially as I dip my toes back into writing fanfiction again. These next few chapters will deal with the changes in the Chosen Children's lives as they grow up and Daisuke's home life. It's fair to say that he doesn't have a great relationship with either his parents or his sister (see episode four) and that it's a bit difficult to remain in perfect harmony with all the stress of preparing for Japanese university entrance exams and entering new relationships. Also, for a good understanding of Daisuke's character, I recommend listening to the drama Natsu e no Tobira online. It has provided me with a lot of inspiration. Finally, I've been managing a chapter a week, which is really good for me. Basically, I have to deal with my child's illness which requires regular hospital trips. Because I never know how often or when we have to go in, I plan on getting a chapter up every 10 days or so but because of some good luck and health have been updating more often that I planned. Hopefully this trend continues!

Recommended tracks: Acidman - Mawaru, Meguru, Sono Kaku He; Coldplay – What If; The Killers – Andy, You're a Star

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When meeting him for the first time, most people laughingly called Takeru a golden boy, or the perfect child, usually because they didn't know him very well. In a superficial way, he could see why: his unusual good looks and height (hey, this is what he was told), his talent playing basketball (although the fact that he was a good five inches taller than most other Japanese players didn't hurt either), his excellent grades and talent for writing, his general affability and kindness. Yes, Takeru had had a fairly easy and fun time in high school but again, people only judged him for what they saw on the exterior.

Only his family, his best friend Hikari, and the other Chosen Children, knew about Takeru's flaws: how he could panic and give up at critical moments due to his own fear of losing someone, the way he muttered sarcastic and sometimes lewd one-liners under his breath, the fact that he procrastinated regularly, how he occasionally liked to wind people up, and worst of all, how his hatred of evil went beyond even Daisuke's fiercest emotions. The leader of the Chosen had a pure kind of hatred, where he viewed evil's destruction as the only solution because it protected the innocent and put evil out of its misery. The blond teen, when he was honest with himself, would rather that evil, be it a person or a digimon, suffered along its way out the door.

It was one of these flaws that prevented him from making a phone call as he stood outside of the infirmary, flipping his cell phone open and shut. He'd been here for a few minutes and had yet to call Ken. "Jealous, perhaps?" Takeru muttered to himself before settling on a brief text: _Don't worry but Daisuke's sick. Can you meet us at school?_ "Five. Four. Three. Tw-" He was interrupted by a phone ring and answered, a wry expression on his face. "What took you so long, Ken? Geez, people might get the wrong impression." Ken snorted into the call, "Well what are _best friends_ for, Takeru, if we don't come when we're called? What's wrong with Daisuke?" The blond Chosen Child took a beat to pause before saying something rash and was glad Hikari couldn't see the scowl he wore at the moment, since she would've whacked him on the head for it.

This was their relationship now; he and Ken were close friends and Takeru cared about him a great deal but the blue-haired genius seemed to have some idea of his feelings for a certain redhead and had been acting cagey ever since. Perhaps it was jealousy or wariness but it rattled him to hear Ken sound so aloof and… disapproving. For one thing, he and Daisuke were best friends. Could he know something that he wasn't telling? He finally answered, speaking quickly to prevent Ken from overreacting.

"Daisuke passed out in class earlier and is still feeling sick and, hold on, don't freak out, he's fine now but the blockhead wants to go to his shift at Yoshimura-ya." There was a brief silence when he knew Ken was rolling his eyes, then, "I'll be there as soon as I can… and Takeru," Ken's voice was softer and a bit bashful, "if you happen to see Miyako… can you ask her to stay until I get there?" The blond smiled, feeling the tiniest bit of relief, "Sure thing, Ken. She and Iori aren't here yet but I'll tell her when I see her. Later." Trying hard not to grin as he walked back in the infirmary, he mused on the _interesting_ developments between Ken and Miyako.

It did make Takeru feel better to know that as time passed, the two had become much closer and more complementary. For one thing, Ken was able to help Miyako study coding, a course she wanted to pursue in college. For another, she was his match intellectually, so they enjoyed long and lively debates. This had had an interesting effect on their comfort and ease around each other, as well as the dynamics of the second generation team. With Ken and Miyako spending a couple of afternoons every week or so together, Daisuke had been forced to spend more time with Takeru, Yamato, and Taichi, and was not particularly gracious about his feelings of being left out. Iori, another best friend since before the adventures in the Digital World, had actually been struggling with similar emotions, but was grateful to have a sweet and sincere friend like Hikari to spend time with in Miyako's absence. All six of them were adjusting to these new roles, but Daisuke in particular dealt with the change poorly and seemed petty and vulnerable at any mention of Ken and Miyako spending even more time together. It was odd considering his hard-won maturity and own ambition as he dove into the challenging world of Japanese cuisine. It made Takeru wonder, with some anxiety in the pit of his stomach, if something had happened between Ken and Daisuke…

"Oi, blondie, did you talk to Ken?" That familiar brash voice echoed out in the emptying hallway. Smiling, he turned back to the small room and paused as the sunset's light hit both figures, wrapping them in a gentle glow. If there were two people meant to live in the sunset, it was Yagami Hikari and Motomiya Daisuke. The warm tones brought both the brown and red hair to life with golden and cherry hues not normally visible and made his eyes, in particular, seem to glow with a kind of fire… Takeru quickly brought his phone up to snap a picture of them before the sun moved down past the horizon. The former leader grinned from his position sitting on the edge of the bed, "Getting sentimental in your old age, Takaishi?" Hikari nodded, face mirthful but not a little sad, "That's right, sempai, you need to ask before taking a picture of your kohai… but feel free to send me that picture, it'll be nice to have at school next year." At that the maroon-haired teen scowled, as he always did whenever someone made reference to that fact that he was younger or shorter than most of the other male Chosen.

"Well it's time for me to head to work. Sakai-san won't be happy if I'm late." Daisuke bragged with a wide grin. "Oh my gosh, don't tell us, you've managed to get an apprenticeship at Yoshimura-ya's? No kidding?" Hikari giggled as Takeru walked over to their friend, blue eyes the picture of innocence and hope, sat next to him and clasped his hands around the other's. "D-do you think you can me on the exclusive chef's table? I mean, I had no idea that you knew such an illustrious chef as Sakai-san!" Hikari laughed outright, "Yes, can you get us on the restaurant's club evening waiting list? I had no idea you worked at that amazing place. I mean, you've barely mentioned it at all this whole year!" The two continued snickering as Daisuke flushed a bit. He wasn't the type to ruin a joke, even if it was about himself. "Eh, shut up you two. So maybe Sakai-san won't notice if I'm not there… but the wakiita on duty will, for sure! I mean, who's going to boil the water or clean his pots or sweep the floor if I'm not there!" The three of them kept up the joke about his prestigious internship and in the midst of their silliness, Takeru felt a thrill when Daisuke settled a friendly arm around his shoulders.

A middle-aged woman with a kind face came out of her office, turning of the light and locking the door. "Motomiya-san, I hope you're feeling better. Will you be able to get yourself home?" Takeru turned and gave her the famous Takaishi smile, "Definitely, I'll make sure of it." She smiled, "What nice friends you are to take care of him so well. But don't forget to turn the lights off when you leave. Good night." Hikari turned her attention back to the goggle-head, "Are you feeling better now? You don't look so red anymore. If it's not the flu, it must be your night job. Yokohama is an hour away each trip, and you don't get off until 11:30!" Daisuke waved it off, "Yeah, so I work late, so what? You all are studying like mad at your juku and cram schools. You guys don't get any more sleep then me." This time, Takeru twisted his mouth; he felt he had to say something, "Yeah, but we all just sit at desks and go home. We have time to eat and sleep. You're on your feet all the time at the restaurant and they never feed you! I haven't seen you this thin or tired before ever!"

Daisuke sneered a little, unimpressed. "Guys, it's called paying your dues. If I'm going to have the best ramen-ya then I need to be trained by the best! And they wouldn't be the best if they allowed their apprentices to just sit around getting fat and lazy! Nope, if I'm going to be the best ramen chef in Japan, I need to-" At that moment, Ken walked into the infirmary, smiling at his best friend's visions of grandeur. Everyone else in the room heard him chuckle and say, "Then you need to work hard now and not get distracted by future glory, right?" Everyone but Daisuke, who had gradually stood up during his speech, pumping himself up. He had not heard Ken's gentle and wry words but instead a cold, sneering voice, saying, "Abandon these delusions that you're the best at anything, Motomiya. Tsch, it seems that I still need to teach you your place." The redheaded teen paled and whipped his head up to see Ken's face; he couldn't hide the shock or fear flooding him. Instead of Ken's kind smile, warm eyes, or pristine violet hair, he saw the teen with a savage grin, a scowl, and the same tousled hairstyle he'd worn as the Kaiser all those years ago. "K-Ken," he stuttered before grasping his head as his ears rang with a high-pitched whine that drowned out all other noise. He fell to the floor fast and hard, landing on his posterior and curling around himself to stop the intolerable sound.

"Daisuke!" Three voices shouted as they drew close to him. Ken looked almost accusatory as he fixed a stare on Takeru, "I thought you said he was ok!" The blond met him with an indignant expression, "He seemed fine after resting, I don't know what's going on." Hikari huffed, frustrated with the unaddressed turf war going on between the two, "Daisuke, what's the matter? Should I call your parents?" Ken didn't wait for a response but propped his friend against the cot, firmly supporting him. Slowly the teen cracked his eyes open, and reached up to hold onto Ken's shoulders without looking at his friend. Takeru tried not to show the slight annoyance he felt at that; he knew that they were best friends, but did they have to be so handsy? "I'm fine, Hikari-chan, it's just my head, it hurts and it feels really weird." She nodded and said, "You're in no shape to go to work. I'll call the restaurant to let them know."

Takeru grew more concerned about the pain in his friend's expression and the fact that he didn't protest, "Maybe you're having a migraine? I get them sometimes when I'm too stressed. It feels like my head is caught in a vise and sometimes I see an aura." Daisuke nodded but kept his head facing down still, afraid to look up at Ken, afraid of what he might see, "Ahh, maybe. I just need to get home then. Don't bother… my parents, they're still working…" Hikari looked apologetic as she said, "Maybe Ken can help you home? I'm supposed to introduce Iori-kun and Hida-san to my night school's director today." Takeru waged an internal war with himself. His mother wouldn't be happy to know that he missed one of his expensive and nonrefundable juku sessions, and neither would his instructors, especially considering that the entrance exams for Tokyo University were less than six months away… but he couldn't go knowing Daisuke was feeling so ill, especially when he'd never seen him so sick before. "I'll take you." He felt slightly guilty as he continued, "Besides, Ken is supposed to meet up with Miyako when she gets here."

Ken arched an eyebrow at that but couldn't deny his earlier conversation. He was also interested in Takeru's sudden attachment to his best friend and why said friend had given him such an odd, almost fearful look when he walked in earlier, but would have to wait to answer those questions. What mattered most now was getting Daisuke home to recuperate. After Takeru had gathered both of their bags, and Daisuke had once again placed an arm around his back, this time for stability, he couldn't help a faint blush at Hikari's knowing and Ken's questioning looks. "Are you sure you'll be all right getting back? I can help you if you think you need it." Ken asked as they were about to leave the room, grabbing hold of his redheaded friend's arm. The teen couldn't help a shiver at the touch, not looking up to see the Kaiser, or in reality, Ken's hurt gaze. "I'll be fine, I promise." And flashing a victory sign at the two, he and Takeru left, the mood in the room altered to something tense and awkward.


	4. Chapter 4

Note: Thank you again for your reviews; they are so encouraging. Short chapter this week but it was either too short or another 1,000 words and would mess up my staging.

Recommended tracks: Phoenix – Too Young; The Flaming Lips – The Observer; Muse – Ruled by Secrecy

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Two teens walked along the sidewalk, and they couldn't be more different if they tried. One was tall and exotic looking with fair skin, sunny blond hair, and unusual blue eyes. His uniform was perfectly pressed and tucked, his shoes stylish, schoolbag nondescript. He had a polite manner and a subtle smile that was appropriate. His friend, well, didn't blend in as well. Before strangers even saw him, they were looking for him as his brash tones and heartfelt chuckles drifted down the street. His skin tone was a deep bronze, which hadn't been fashionable for some time, his eyes were a common brown, his hair a spiked, red unkempt tangle, a telltale glint around his ear hinted at some kind of earring... and his uniform was in no way acceptable to walk around in: unbuttoned, wrinkled shirt with a popped collar and his jacket tied around his waist. He looked to be a corrupting influence on the upstanding youth supporting him as they walked down the road. On the other hand, they also looked like complementary, rounding out their disparate appearances by the fun they were having together.

"It was hilarious when you schooled him with that three pointer, Takaishi. Guess he'll learn not to judge bookworms by their dorky covers!" Daisuke laughed off Takeru's annoyed expression as they continued walking, pulling away as he felt sturdy enough to walk alone. If he focused on his friend, he felt almost completely better, with the exception of a very mild ache in his head and an almost inaudible ringing in his ears. Just before they crossed a street, Daisuke pointed at a conbini but Takeru had somehow guessed what he wanted and walked into the store. "Hey, what are you a psychic now?" The blond smirked and shook his head, "Well, you haven't taken any medicine in a few hours so I figure we should pick some up before your headache comes back. If you really do have a migraine, you have to take your medicine religiously or you'll regret it." The redhead grabbed some sports drinks and medicine and dropped it down on the counter, along with a brightly colored box of super large strawberry-flavored condoms. Takeru, for his part, didn't make a scene but he couldn't prevent the bright blush creeping across his face or stop himself from covering his face with his hand.

"Daisuke," he choked out, "Why on earth would you need that today? And I happen to know from gym class," he glared out from between his fingers, "that that would be entirely too large for you." Daisuke shrugged blithely ignoring his friend's discomfort and the cashier's judgmental glances, "I figure I'm still a teenager and still growing and this is just like an incentive or, you know, encouragement. Like, body builders. You buy the size you want to be." He grinned cheerily before grabbing the bag and walking out the door. "M-motomiya, that's not how it works! Um, please excuse us," Takeru trailed off feeling extremely flustered before bowing at the cashier and making his escape. His redheaded friend was waiting outside for him leaning against the wall and flashing the most obnoxious grin he could manage while holding in laughter. "And maybe I like seeing you get all embarrassed, Takeru. I'm sorry, I couldn't resist."

They resumed their walk towards the Motomiya apartment, and Takeru managed a sigh while rubbing the bridge of his nose, a gesture unconsciously borrowed from Yamato and his father. "I swear to God, if you hadn't collapsed pathetically earlier today, I would either strangle you or smack you so hard." Daisuke nudged him with a sheepish, if not apologetic, grin. The blond nudged him back, perhaps with more force than warranted, and they settled into a comfortable silence and a friendly nudge war. The blonde couldn't help sneaking looks at him now and then, before biting his lip and asking, "By the way, what did you mean earlier? You woke up and said it wasn't a dream and to call Ken, and then he comes all the way form Tamachi and you just brushed him off and barely spoke to him. Did you guys have a fight?"

Daisuke pursed his lips, knowing he wasn't a good liar but not wanting to talk about that… awful dream. "Eh, I don't know, I had a really bad dream about him and it seemed really weird and like it wasn't even a dream… I just wanted to make sure he was okay. And when he came, I guess," he looked down quickly, "I was embarrassed that I dragged him all the way here for no good reason." Being a child of divorce and having a brother as… intense as Yamato meant Takeru could detect a lie without trying. But his friend rarely if ever lied, so he decided not to pursue it. As they passed the sports complex a few minutes away from his apartment complex, Daisuke turned his head to watch the soccer teams practicing, a trace of jealousy in his eyes.

Takeru walked on a few paces before he noticed his friend hadn't kept up with him. He turned back only to run over and grab Daisuke's arm when he saw the teen looking shocked. "What's wrong? Is your headache back?" The redhead made no sign that he even heard him, but kept his gaze fixed out on the soccer field, breathing fast and harshly. Out on the field, playing as a forward with a red jersey among the other high school kids was Ichijouji Ken, no Ken as the Kaiser. "How? How are you here?" Daisuke wasn't even aware he was talking, let alone talking loudly, his voice shaking and cracking. The business men and women pushing quickly by gave the two strange looks for stopping suddenly. Takeru tried to shake his friend gently but got no response, feeling disturbed by the turn of events.

The soccer player made his way, seemingly unnoticed through the throng of players and the few gathered in the stand, his gaze fixed on Daisuke. He seemed too real and vivid or else the world seemed muted to a grey, dull roar. Even from far away, a malicious smirk marred his face and he walked with the confidence of a tall, strong man. He spoke with a cold voice that echoed in this blurred reality, "I can be anywhere you are, Daisuke-kun, and I intend to be anywhere you are. All I'm here for is to claim my property, nothing unusual at all." The redheaded teen gasped and tried to back up, tried to run away but his arms were firmly held by someone he couldn't even see. He looked up at his captor, grey dots flickering in the corners of his vision, but instead of Takeru's worried eyes, he gazed into wicked amethyst. "What makes you think you have the right to run away from me, pet?" Kaiser grinned and dug his fingers into the shoulders, but Daisuke only shook his head fearfully, "No, no, you're not real," and he passed out, collapsing into Takeru's arms.

The two teens fell slowly onto the sidewalk, though the blond had time to grab their bags and sag onto a public bench as he supported his friend. There had been many things to scare him in his life, from evil digimon to losing Patamon to moving out of his father's home. This thing going on with Daisuke was terrifying because he couldn't see the source of the problems, he couldn't understand it. He had just seen Daisuke grow stiff as a board, talk to thin air, and hyperventilate until passing out. Was it like Hikari had said, was his job at the ramen-ya putting too much pressure on him? Was it something more serious, like a disease or a mental issue? One of his worst traits was his tendency to get lost in worry. Shaking his head tiredly, Takeru pulled Daisuke closer to him and took out his cell phone, adrenaline making his hands shaky. "Yamato, where are you? I need your help."


	5. Chapter 5

Note: So sorry for the long wait, it was a crazy two weeks and then one whole week was spent at the hospital. Anyway, the plot kind of thickens from here on out! Please be sure to read and review! I kind of feel like the pace is too slow, so I will probably go back and edit later on.

Recommended tracks: Yoko Kanno/Seatbelts – Digging My Potato; The Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Maps; Sigur Rós – Hún Jörð ...

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There once was a world of energy and light, with strange and wonderful fluctuations of power and matter. This world of pure potential was connected to two other worlds, reflecting the dreams and wishes of the inhabitants of both. Normally this place was bright and vibrant but it was currently being warped by Vamdemon for his own dark purposes. The world was dark but the air cold and heavy, oppressive and suffocating. The longer the evil digimon stayed in this world, the more charged the air became, the more power he required even to move and evolve. Like a dying star, this energy was unsustainable and had begun to collapse on itself. This world could no longer contain the evil power that was being created and it was spilling into the other worlds, the Digital World and Earth.

As Vamdemon sat on a black marble throne, his pale blue eyes were fixed on a silver reflecting pool alternating views between the two worlds. Though he had not spoken of this to his companions, he could not currently maintain his evolution. He refused to speculate on the reason and focused his whole being on moving forward with his plan. The digimon registered movement in the shadows of the dark hall and Ladydevimon and Piemon stepped forward. Vamdemon noted with interest that the two ultimate digimon paused to exchange a look before approaching him. The vampire sneered at their hesitance, though he supposed he had been a bit unpredictable of late. Dropping to her knee, Ladydevimon craned her neck to gaze up and spoke with a cocky smirk, "We've found the Chosen Children's partners, my lord. We begin the attack at your command."

* * *

If anyone had thought it odd that two young men were carrying another unconscious young man up a flight of stairs, no one had found it necessary to say so. Ishida Yamato was carrying Daisuke piggy-back while Takeru carried their three bags, held doors, made nervous apologies, and helped them balance as they slowly ascended the steps. They stopped at the Motomiya's door where Takeru patted his friend down for the key. Yamato shifted Daisuke higher on his back, saying wryly, "Well it's nice to know that we could murder someone and carry their corpse around Odaiba without attracting too much attention…." Takeru chuckled while fiddling with the key ring, "Duly noted. But it is pretty dark outside, they probably just thought that Daisuke is one of those bad kids who skips school and goes drinking in the park… not that they're that far off…" Yamato laughed as the door swung open to a dark hallway. He quirked an eyebrow at Takeru, who shrugged, "I'm pretty sure Motomiya-san is on some kind of business trip this month and his Mom just got a promotion a few weeks back so she's been working late."

The two navigated through the hallway until they could gently drop the redhead onto the couch. "Where's Jun then?" Yamato asked as he went to close the door and switch on the lights. Takeru shrugged as he fiddled with his phone, "She got an apartment closer to the Tokyo campus but I texted her to come over. Okaasan has Motomiya-san's phone number but he isn't even in the country, so that would just worry him for nothing... but, he hasn't even woken up, maybe we should just take him to the hospital.." His brother went to check on Daisuke, brushing his hand over the teen's forehead. "I think he might just be exhausted from work, maybe he needs to eat more or something. He seems to be resting fine. Let's wait and see, besides, how do you know so much about the Motomiyas anyway, little brother?" Takeru blushed for a moment before throwing a dark look over his shoulder, "We study together a lot! Besides, Motomiya-san works for the same company as Okaasan so they run into each other sometimes too. Hey, wipe that smug look off your face, there's nothing going on here." The elder brother held his hands up and backed away, smirking a little. "No worries, little bro, your overreaction says everything. But I'll leave you to sigh and swoon over his face and go buy us some dinner so we don't starve before Jun gets here." Takeru's expression was annoyed before and icy now, but he shook his head, "No need for that, Daisuke usually cooks food after work or before school. There should be something on the stove we can heat up if we make some rice." Seeing the awkward expression on his brother's face, he hurried over to the kitchen, "Relax, I've done it before, and it's usually just the two of us eating dinner here before he heads to work and I go to juku anyway. Besides, the Motomiyas love me."

The brothers entered the kitchen and peered into the large stock pot. "Curry, huh? Well if I hadn't skipped lunch, I would never agree to this." Yamato said as he peered incredulously at the brown stew, "I guess we'll find out if Daisuke has any potential as a chef the hard way, ow!" Takeru has cheerfully tugged at his brother's precious golden head, "You are a nonbeliever and haven't had any of his cooking since he was 12. It wasn't easy to get that apprenticeship, you have to impress them! You fry some eggs and I'll prepare the rice." With that, he found a clean towel and soaked it in cool water to put on Daisuke's head. After making sure he was resting comfortably, Takeru set to work. For a moment, just a few seconds really, his heart sped up. There was something painfully bittersweet about preparing a meal with his brother. If he closed his eyes while scrubbing the rice, he could focus on the clink of metal hitting ceramic, the hiss of egg being dropped into hot oil, and feel like he was only five or six again. They were still a family, they still lived with their parents; they were just making dinner together, same as usual. His eyes flew open when he felt rice tumble over the brim of the pot into the sink. This time it was Yamato who ruffled his hair. "Well at least someone's cooking has gotten better than it was when he was 12." Takeru laughed while he scooped up the rice and turned the rice cooker on.

As his older brother searched for napkins and bowls, Takeru had gone to his friend's side to check on him. He sat there for a moment just watching him, the pinched expression on his face hinted at unpleasant dreams. He knew he should get up to help or at least try texting Jun again, but he couldn't drag his eyes away from Daisuke's sun-kissed face, thick lashes, or those red, full lips. His eyes flickered down when he was hit in the head by a dish towel. Takeru turned to see Yamato sitting with a grin next to a table full of steaming dishes. If the rice was already done, he must have zoned out for quite some time. Flushing, he joined his older brother and watched him ladle curry onto rice that he had molded into domes, and then place perfectly fried eggs on top. He noticed with some satisfaction that his brother had prepared a third bowl for Daisuke and was about to tuck in when Yamato smacked his hand away to sprinkle a generous amount of furikake over the dish. Rolling his eyes at the unchecked perfectionism, or was it OCD, he quickly murmured "Itadakimasu," and dove in. There was silence as the brothers took in the sweetness of the Japanese style curry; the tender chunks of pork complemented bites of meaty eggplant and spring peas. Yamato didn't say anything but Takeru could tell by his face and how he slowly he ate that he was enjoying the food.

He felt a small burn of pride for his friend as he ate. It wasn't the best curry he'd ever eaten, but much better than most home cooks could prepare. You could taste the love Daisuke put into it. "So how long, Takeru?" His blue eyes shot up to Yamato, who discreetly pointed his spoon at the slumbering body on the couch. Blushing, he ducked his head down again, wishing his bangs were longer and could give him some cover. "How long have you had feelings for Daisuke? And why didn't you tell me so I could tell you not to bother with that blockhead?" Takeru rolled his eyes and doggedly ignored his brother's questions, focusing on his bowl. Takaishi and Ishida men weren't all that great at expressing their feelings in the first place so Yamato probably didn't expect an answer. But since the opportunity had presented itself, and Daisuke was still in dreamland, he _could_ use some guidance on the subject, tricky as it was. Coughing slightly, Takeru spoke slowly and quietly, "For some time now. I mean, my feelings really changed when he went to such lengths to help Ken feel like he was a part of the team. I thought he was such a good friend and wanted him to be like that with me. Then when you and Sora became a couple a few years back, I realized just how much you and she complemented each other and how happy you seemed. That's when… when I first thought that Daisuke could make me happy like that. And now that I know how I feel, I've seen all of this weird tension between Daisuke and Ken and it's made me…" "Jealous?"

He nodded his head, "I mean I'm jealous but I also don't feel ready to tell him. What if he doesn't feel the same way? What if it hurts our friendship? But then, what if there's something seriously wrong with him? How could I burden him with my feelings if he has to deal with a major health issue-" His older brother sighed and interrupted him again, "Baka, don't do that to yourself. You could talk yourself out of anything! It's best to be honest, no matter the consequences. Sora felt the same way, actually, when she told me. I wish now that I hadn't been such an angsty teenage brat, then I could've been the one to confess first. Besides, Takeru, if there's something seriously wrong, which I highly doubt, you'll be there every step of the way."

Before Takeru could consider this surprisingly helpful advice, he felt the vibrations of something in his pocket. Pulling out his phone, he saw Jun had gotten his text and was on her way home. As he opened his phone to reply, he got a flurry of texts from Koushiro: SOS FROM DIGIMON, UNDER ATTACK BY ULTIMATES, PIEMON SPOTTED. GET TO DIGITAL WORLD ASAP. Panicking, he scrambled to his feet, unable to speak. Cold dread coiled in his belly and he felt a chill sweep over him. Yamato jumped up, face calm but his eyes burning with anger, having read a similar text on his phone, "Does Daisuke have a computer?" For the second time, Takeru felt lost in the moment and unable to compose himself amidst a jumble of thoughts. Yamato stalked over and put a firm hand on his shoulder, "Takeru, this is no time to panic, we need to get to the Digital World to help them. You can stay here until the Motomiya's get back home. Where is there a computer?" Takeru shook his head, "No, n-no, Jun's on her way now. I'll go with you. It's in his room." He texted Jun back that he was sorry for the mess but that an emergency had come up and walked over to check one more time on Daisuke. Leaving him like this felt wrong but what could he do? He brushed the red bangs back gently, feeling for his normal temperature before joining Yamato in the bedroom. Gripping his Digivice, now glowing an eerie red, he felt a dreadful foreboding as the light of the gate pulled him and his brother into the Digital World. As the light faded, Daisuke began to tremble and trash in the grip of his dreams. Dreams that were quickly becoming reality.


End file.
